The Navy needed every vessel they could get during World War II and that included the USS Sea Tiger, a broken-down pink submarine said to be held together with "a couple of half hitches and a Band-Aid." The Sea Tiger with its crew of officers and seamen were stationed in the South Pacific and assigned to patrol the region for downed airmen and sailors (or perchance sink a Jap sub or shot down enemy aircraft).

The submarine's unique pink color was the result of having to set to sea with only a primer coat on its hull after a Japanese air attack destroyed the stockpile of gray paint to be used for the final exterior coat.

 
 Duran, Holden, and Sherman

The submarine's color seemed appropriate because soon into the mission, the USS Sea Tiger rescued a group of Army nurses from a Pacific Island who became unwilling guests onboard the roaming submarine filled with 35 really lonely men.

The sub's initial command staff included Lt. Cdr. Matthew Sherman; Lt. Nick Holden (supply officer); and Army Major Edna Howard, the head of the nurses.

The original command staff was later replaced by Lt. Cmdr. Haller as the new skipper, Lt. Mike Bender as supply officer and Army Lt. Katherine O'Hara as the leader of a bunch of new nurses.

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TRIVIA NOTE: The TV series was based on the motion picture Operation Petticoat (1959) starring Cary Grant and Tony Curtis. Jamie Lee Curtis, daughter of Tony Curtis was cast as Army nurse Lt. Barbara Duran during the 1977-78 season. The second season was called The New Operation Petticoat due to major cast changes.